FBI cracks 'Russian spy ring'

New York: The FBI has charged three men it says were spying for Russia and trying to recruit sources in New York City.

US prosecutors said Evgeny Buryakov, 39, was part of an alleged spy ring that included two others in the US on official business, BBC reported.

The other two named defendants, Igor Sporyshev and Victor Podobnyy, no longer reside in the US.

Buryakov, who held a position in banking, is scheduled to appear in court later Monday.

He is accused of attempting to gain economic and other intelligence and recruit Americans to spy for Russia, including several people "employed by major companies" and "several young women with ties to a major university in New York".

In a statement, Attorney General Eric Holder said the charges "demonstrate our firm commitment to combating attempts by covert agents to illegally gather intelligence and recruit spies within the US.